Easter Has Come!
I wanted to share with you a series of devotionals that I have put together for the Holy Week. These devotionals reflect the activities of Jesus from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. They are written for each day of the week and have some personal reflection from my heart. As I have shared these with many people, they have reported that they were very blessed and that I should share these with everyone. I have decided to place these up on the website and leave them for some time for all to read and be blessed.
May the Lord use these to warm your heart and cause you to be that much more committed to Jesus Christ our Lord!!
Love, Pastor Paul
Today is Monday. This is what Jesus was doing today:
Monday is the beginning of Passion Week after a very busy day for Jesus in Palm Sunday. He spent the night in Bethany and upon arising in the morning He was hungry. On the way back to the temple in Jerusalem, He comes across a fig tree that has no figs on it. Jesus actually curses the fig tree (Matthew 21:18-19; Mark 11:11-18). This is a representation of the people of God who are supposed to be bearing fruit of the truth and revelation of God to the world and there is none. The tree withers and that is the condition of any church that puts other things in front of one of our main purposes to be witnessing and sharing the gospel to the world!
On Palm Sunday, Jesus had gone into the temple and cleansed it by overturning the tables and seeking to clear all of the religious activity and rituals so the court of the gentiles and women would be available for real ministry to the hurting and to the world. Because these matters for the Jews had become so important, they set the tables and businesses up again by Monday afternoon to resume the “normal” religious business going on. When Jesus comes back into the temple, He once again is full of righteous indignation because they really have allowed their religiousness to over-ride the essential commandments of God to minister and reveal God to all. He turns over the tables again, really disrupting the religious norm! There are too many Christians and churches today that are more interested in their “religious norms” that they have set up rather then making reaching people for Christ and ministering to them a priority. It is not supposed to be “us four and no more” at all. This is the same as what was happening in the temple, and it resulted in the Lord being furious with these religious leaders. Their responses to Jesus were to hate Him, demonized Him, and seek to kill Him to get Him out of the way! This is still carried on by religious leaders when the truth of God’s priorities is proclaimed and held on to by the faithful (Mark 11:15-18).
In the gospel of John we see Jesus allowing some Greeks who desired to meet with Him as well as others come to listen to Him speak. Again, Jesus’ message is for everyone. Jesus understands that even with the clarity of His message to the people, there are many who do not believe. Some do but many do not. The hardness of hearts and the unwillingness to surrender our heart and mind to Jesus will keep us away from Him and keep us from experiencing the wonderful life He has come to offer us. The real lesson here is at any time we can turn away or back away from Christ and His teachings. We can stop surrendering to Him in our hearts and then we too become alienated from Him and the intimate work of His Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives. We become cold and distant often times not even realizing how far we have drifted from Jesus and His precious church! (John12:20-50)
As evening begins to come, Jesus and His disciples return to Bethany (Mark 11:19)
This is what Jesus was doing on Tuesday:
Tuesday was an incredible busy day for our Lord. The overturning of the money changers table yesterday for the second day in a row, in the temple stirred up considerable concern on the part of the religious leaders. The great following of the common people was another threat to them and so on Tuesday, while Jesus taught in the temple, all three parties of the religious leaders sought to trick Him or publicly show He was a fake or didn’t know what He was talking about. The opposite occurred and the leaders were humiliated before the people.
Some of the most important teachings of Christ occurred on this day. As Jesus was making ready to die and leave, He wanted to make sure that they understood the most important matters of following Him and would be knowledgeable concerning the future.
The two passages to consider today are from Matthew 23 through 25 and Mark 11:27 through 13. In these passages, we find Jesus debating with the religious leaders about a number of topics as well as Him teaching extensively about last days.
I would say the two most important teachings that occur during this day is Jesus’ clear teaching that the Purpose of God (The Great Commandment… loving meaningful relationships) was the absolute most important teaching to follow and do. Next to that, we find Jesus caring enough for His disciples that He would give in specific detail everything we would ever need to know about the last days, His second coming, and the new created world to come. Too many Christians have treated these teachings of Jesus as equal to or subservient to other portions in the Bible almost saying that Jesus didn’t know all the details yet. But how far from the truth this is. Given the setting that this was the last time of major teaching before His death to all the disciples, we must understand that Jesus was giving the full picture, not a partial view. This speaks to the erroneous handling of the Book of Revelation as if only in this book can we know the details of the last days. We must never forget that Jesus gave us all the details and Revelation as a mysterious book of signs and symbols is only to back up what Jesus said not to introduce “new truth.”
Back to our day… Jesus spends his whole heart throughout the entire day teaching everything that was needed. At the conclusion of the day, He is exhausted and returns to Bethany for some rest and personal preparation for the suffering to begin on Thursday.
I pray your heart will be enriched throughout this day of Jesus teaching you through the Holy Spirit in your heart!!
This is what Jesus was doing on Wednesday:
Yesterday, Jesus did extensive teaching from morning until the evening. He faced the three religious groups of Jewish leaders in serious debates. He spent an enormous time teaching throughout the day until evening preparing His disciples for the last days and providing lots of information for us to have today. When He returned last night, He was tired and far spent with all of the teaching and debating.
Today, we find little to nothing recorded in the scriptures as to Jesus’ activities. We are aware that the religious leaders are seriously plotting His death (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 23:3-61). The events of Sunday through Tuesday have push them over the edge and they are fixed in a fury to kill the Lord Jesus. Nothing else matters to them now. Their anger and bitterness is overflowing and producing the ugly fruit of a spirit of murder and they will not be satisfied until the blood of Jesus is spilled all over the city.
Two things come to mind when I consider this. One is we must be extremely careful about our own anger and where it will take us. I have seen the best of Christians ruin their lives because of bitterness growing deep inside them. We must always be checking to see if there is any sin “crouching in our hearts” through anger and bitterness. We need to see it as our enemy to be rejected rather than our friend to embrace. In a second thought, these religious leaders and their desire to spill the blood of Jesus was actually God’s plan!… The Father intended for Jesus’ blood to be spilled, not just all over the city of Jerusalem, but all over the world!!!!
As for Jesus and His day, He must have spent the day resting and being close with His disciples. His great love for them and knowing that come tomorrow, the way of great suffering would begin, He must have wanted to prepare His heart and mind by relaxing with His closest friends and family. I believe the application for our lives today is that we must remember that spending some time relaxing and being just “with” our beloved friends and family is a good thing. You might say it is a needed thing from time to time in order to refresh our lives. Even God rested on the 7th day after creating all the universe.
So, today… thank God for your family and friends. Spend time with them, talk to them, let them know how special and important each of them are to you! And yes, take a couple of extra breaks to day and ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit for what is ahead in your life!!!
Special Note: I know I am sending this to many people… but I want you to know that you in particular are in my thoughts today. When I think about the times we have been together, what we have prayed for, longed for, and hoped for within the kingdom of God… as well as the times we have laughed and cried together…. I want you and you in particular to know just how special you are in my heart and how much I love you!!!!
This is what Jesus was doing on “Maudy” Thursday:
Here are some scriptures connected to today’s activities: Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22:17-23; John 13:1-18:12
Jesus spent yesterday resting and experiencing some special time with family and friends. Today the way of suffering begins. We must understand that what happens to Jesus through this day and tomorrow is not a surprise at all. It was planned out in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. Jesus knew every detail and how it would unfold. Having this foreknowledge, as He awoke this morning, the pain and sin of the world was heavy on His heart and soul.
There is considerable preparation made for the Passover feast this evening at sundown. This would be the last Passover He would share with them and the entire symbolic nature of the Passover feast will find its fulfillment tonight in Jesus!
During this day and possibly late last night, Judas is beginning to orchestrate the betrayal. I can imagine the intensity of Jesus was incredible through the day. His heart and face was fixed strongly in the coming betrayal, gruesome suffering, and desertion of most of His closest disciples. In the face of all that lay ahead there was only one matter important to Jesus. This was His unconditional, sacrificial, unending love for every one of us. This powerful love will not be stopped or even slightly hindered in fulfilling the eternal plan for our redemption.
As the sun is setting and darkness is settling in, the disciples gather in the upper room and the Passover is celebrated. At the conclusion of the observance of the Passover, Jesus symbolically moves in the sense of the Passover being fulfilled and no longer will it be necessary to observe this long-term religious activity, and He institutes the fulfillment of it by giving the disciples the new activity, what we now call “The Lord’s Supper” or “Communion.” In connection to this New Covenant Jesus is establishing He provides some important teaching to His closest disciples as found in John chapter 13 and following.
After His teachings there, they leave the upper room and go to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus intensively prays there and the shedding of His blood through the pores of His skin begins. His decision there in the Garden to be obedient regardless of the consequences is the final blow to the devil’s attempts to re-route Jesus’ destiny to redeem mankind. Jesus is arrested there in the Garden, His disciples are scattered and Jesus is hauled off and illegally tried through the night by the religious leaders who want Him killed. By the time that daylight breaks on Friday morning, Jesus has been brutalized, humiliated, and treated shamefully by the religious spirited crowd around Him. The only thing His disciples can do is to run and hide with their hopes of the future being dashed on the rocks of human suffering and loss not knowing this was the plan of God, the way of suffering…
…and it has only begun!!!
There are a million thoughts and emotions stirring in my heart as I write these things to you. It is hard to hold back the tears as I consider from my safe place here how much pain Jesus is going to face this day and that what He faces this day is but a drop in the ocean as to what is coming tomorrow for Him. All I can say to you is that He did it all for me and you!!! Regardless of our response to Him, His action towards us is the complete and ultimate sacrifice… the true love of God! This is the Love that has changed the world and all eternity. This is the love He desires to flow freely in each of us towards one another. This is the love in us that will continue to change the world for Jesus. May our hearts be stirred and challenged today to say together regarding our desire and attempts to reach our lost world for Him…..
…. It has only begun!!!
This is what Jesus did on Good Friday-Saturday-Sunday:
I wanted to send this message with the next three days. Of course these are the most familiar days of Passion Week to us.
On Friday: Jesus continues to face the brutality of the soldiers, trials, crucifixion, death, and burial. There is no way to really imagine the extent of the pain and suffering of our Lord Jesus on this day. Through the night, He faced enough suffering but today it is magnified many times. The humiliation, shame and suffering are all a part of the plan of God for Jesus to carry all of our shame, sorrows, sicknesses, and sin. Every time He was hit, whipped, spit upon, and pubically humiliated, He was taking our place, standing in for us, experiencing our just punishment. When we consider these things, our hearts should both weep and rejoice as we would cry out “What a wonderful Savior!!!”
Timing is very specific in scripture for this day. Jesus’ third trial is held early in the morning before the Sanhedrin. The first two were during the night before. These first three trials were before the religious authorities where He is unjustly pronounced guilty at each one. Jesus is then taken before Pilate (the fourth trial) where He is found innocent. He is subsequently taken to Herod who also finds Him innocent (the fifth), and then back to Pilate who again finds Him innocent (the sixth) but relents under pressure, perhaps fearing an uprising. Jesus is brutalized in various forms of Roman torture and public humiliation along with being beaten within an inch of His life. His blood is splattered all over the city and there are few anywhere close around Him during this time who do not get blood on them. At the time when Jesus is condemned to be crucified, Pilate notes on the sign on the cross that His crime was being “the King of the Jews.” He probably did this to avoid trouble with Rome (No king but Caesar).
About 9:00 AM. Jesus is crucified on a hill called The Skull outside the city. While we cannot know for certain it is likely that this is the site where God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.
At noon, the sky becomes dark due to a supernatural move of God. The darkness is highly symbolic of the Father turning His back on the one He had earlier called “My beloved son.” For the first time in all of eternity, God is separated from Himself. During that time the Savior experienced hell for us. Hell is to be utterly forsaken by God.
At 3:00 PM Jesus utters the most important words to believers when He cries with a loud voice: “It is finished.” The phrase literally means Paid in full. The spotless Son of God became sin for us! Isaiah. 53: 5-6. Jesus gives up His life and fulfills the typology of the Passover Lamb at exactly the time the lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple. The veil is rent in the Temple (Mk. 15:38).
Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours. Normally, people would hang on the cross for days before dying, but Jesus had completed His work and He chose to give up His life. His life was not taken by man! He is taken down with special permission and amazement that He is already dead and is laid in Joseph’s tomb before the Sabbath begins at sunset, or around 6:00 PM.
The physical and emotional suffering of Jesus we can begin to imagine, but the spiritual suffering is beyond our imagination! Jesus carried and paid for every single sin of our lives. He had to experience the separation from the Father for the first time in all of eternity… I don’t think any of us have the capacity to fully comprehend this part of the suffering of our Lord. My heart and soul stand before the Lord in great awe and wonder as to why He would do such a great and loving thing for me… I want to live for Him and serve Him forever!!!
On Saturday: Jesus’ body lies in the tomb but He is not “soul-sleeping” as many would lead you to believe. We are assured from many scriptures that immediately upon death of the physical body; our spirit is still fully aware and awake to our surroundings. Even Jesus told the religious leaders that He was the God of the living not the God of the dead. In 1 Peter 3:18-21, it tells us what Jesus was doing during this day while His body was lying in the tomb awaiting full bodily resurrection. This passage tells us that immediately after suffering for our sins and being put to “death in the flesh” Jesus was “quickened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison…” In other words, the righteous dead in paradise (where the thief on the cross next to Jesus went to after he died) and the unrighteous dead in Hades were all waiting for Jesus the redeemer to come. Jesus went to Paradise and there proclaimed (preached) that redemption was complete. There was not a second chance given to the unrighteous dead, it was the final notice that redemption was complete and their eternal destinies were unchangeable. It was good news and bad news. Now there was absolutely no hope for those lost, but for those righteous dead, it was the beginning of heaven!!!
The tomb looked quiet and still, but where Jesus was and what He was doing was incredible joy and sorrow going on… If there was ever a time to be sure you are saved by faith in Christ it is now! And to make every sincere effort to share the plan of salvation with anyone who will listen!!!
On Sunday: What can I say that you don’t already know…. All we know and all we hope for is…Jesus Is Alive!!! Forever More!!!! Everything He said, everything He did has power and authority and we need to bow before Him and confess with our mouth and with our heart Jesus Christ is Lord!!!
Just think about that!!!
Love, Pastor Paul
